Some updates, rather than the interpretive dance I had planned. What can I say? Cold day, no leg warmers. Somehow I successfully purged all Flashdance clothing from my wardrobe. Sigh.
Hazelnut update: nausea has abated and I haven’t yakked in 5 days. I can now, maybe, enjoy Week 18 in digestive peace, wailed upon only from without for a change.
Novel update: another agent sent a “no thanks.” Must send out the next round, but it might be a while with my other deadlines. Rough count: two dozen submissions, maybe half a dozen read the first few pages, four requested more pages, none is going to reap the outrageous profits from the book’s eventual sale. The next agent wants an exclusive, so it’ll just be her and the manuscript for the next two months.
Geography update: we’re gonna be here for a while. But if houses still keep getting 8 and 9 bids, going for 8% over asking for much longer, we’re gonna reconsider the greatest place on earth and think about moving to number 4 or 5.
Peanut update: hardcore into flashlights. We often have to go “into the deep dark woods” in the garage to look for spiders and tigers. Thanks so much, Kipper.
Also popular: filling baskets and bags with household and toy detritus and carrying them around until just the perfect resting place is found.
Word of the day, uttered at least once per sentence: dammit!
Lit update: trying Delillo. Trying hard, but it shouldn’t be this much work to like books. Gonna keep at it for a day or two and if he doesn’t hook me, I’m off to something new.
Conference update: my paper is in critical care, with a thready pulse, threatening to code. But we’re giving it our best and we’ll see if it pulls through. We’re only scholars here; not wizards.
NaptimeWriting 
Haven’t tried to tackle Delillo yet. Which one are you reading? If you feel like taking on “Underworld” together sometime, let me know.
On my own slog through dense lit, I made it through another 30 pages of “Ulysses” while the Critter slept on the plane yesterday. I am, sadly, not loving it. Part of what keeps me going is knowing that you liked it, and so come hell or high water I’m going to finish it.
Good luck with the novel. I am duly impressed that you wrote one at all.
Dan, are you saving 2666 for next year? I am. Maybe Underworld after that. Or some Gaddis.
I only liked Ulysses with a lot of help…both The Bloomsday Book AND Ulysses Annotated by Gifford. With the Gabler edition. It’s weird how some literary experimentation works for some brains and totally fails for others. The people who have tried Infinite Jest several times but never love it baffle me, but I know that words and brains are funky bedfellows.
Sleeping critters are the best. I don’t think mine ever slept long enough for 30 pages, so I bow to yours. Good job, Critter.
Some yays in there, so YAY! Nausea-free, finally! So happy for you!
Whew, I know. I was getting pretty close to constant whine about the barfing, truth be told.
Ditto the Delillo thing, with a qualification: White Noise was totally approachable and enjoyable. I’ve never enjoyed the other things of his I’ve read (4 or 5 other books). I quit Underworld partway through but would like to try again some day. Gaddis I love, though JR (my favorite of his) is batshit crazy and hard but so very fun once you learn how to read it. I haven’t made it all the way through Ulysses yet but figure I’ll manage it one day. Another I’ve been partway through for a year or so now is Gass’s The Tunnel, which I think is probably brilliant but which is weird and hard and hasn’t yet fended off all other distractions.
When I finally make it through “Ulysses,” I’m going to read something that I know I will enjoy unambiguously. Maybe Vonnegut.
I will probably read “2666” with the whole Infinite Summer crowd. Are you doing “Dracula”? I’ve already read it, and don’t have any significant desire to do so again.
I am thrilled that Hazelnut is giving the old digestive tract a break!
And about the manuscript…can I just say how AWESOME it is that 4 people want to see more and that one person wants an exclusive? YES!! You Rock!
And tomorrow, I expect that interpretive dance…
I agree with TKW…I was looking forward to the interpretive dance number. Snap.
Glad you are feeling better!
Any chance that place 4 or 5 is in driving distance of Arlington?
Okay, if Darryl likes Gaddis more than most of Delillo, I’m gonna trade up. Dan, I agree about reading something delicious after Ulysses. I’d go straight to The Princess Bride. I’m saving 2666 for Infinite Summer next year.
Kitch, the four who wanted to see more and the one who wanted exclusives are already “no”s. Got the exclusive-wanter’s no last week. So I’m back at zero.
Gibby and KW, the interpretive dance is entirely dependent on the leg warmers. Sorry. I won’t compromise my art. I have standards, you know. (trying not to giggle, given most of what I post here) And I sure as hell won’t buy leg warmers. Alas, the idea will be lost to the ages…
Sorry, CK. All of the Eastern seaboard is out of the top ten, except Boston, which is number 7.
I hope you don’t mind the stalking which I actually did a day or two ago on my phone, but I had to comment. Week 18?! You give a girl only a tad of hope. Let’s add a cure to morning sickness to your queendom. The boys went through a flashlight phase too. They took flashlights EVERYWHERE. BE careful, even the small ones hurt when wacked on the head with them.